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16 Saturday, March 26, 1910. EL PASO HERAUD ation the In JifJLd a In n agJt The Center of the Richest Fa inirig Distrie Country and the Greatest in the World HISTORICALLY. Twenty-two years before the Pilgrims founded their colony at Plymouth, a Spanish commander, Onate, leading his troops from old to New Mexico, stopped for rest and recreation at a picturesque adobe settlement on the banks of the Pio Grande, and wrote under date of May 4th, 1598, to InVfriends in Spain, a glowing description.of the future possibilities of this hamlet, which was destined to become the metropolitan city of El Paso.I?or over three hundred years the spell of "nianana" (tomorrow) held full sway, and in 1858, El Paso, then known as Franklin, was still a sleepy little settlement of about three hundred inhabitants,-three-fourths of whom were Mexicans, the nearest railroad or telegraph station being over a thousand miles "away. Despite this apparently hopeless isolation, there were a group of pioneers who saw that nature had intended that this particular location should become the distributing point and center of commercial activity for an enormous area, and on February 25th, 1859, a proposed plan was drawn of the City of El Paso, setting forth the principal streets, plazas and highways as they exist today. Twenty five years of slow but steady growth followed, and in a "real" city directory published in 1885, the compiler proudly proclaimed El Paso to be the railroad center and business metropolis of the entire Southwest. Baron Yon Humboldt, the historian, once said: "Somewhere on th'e border of Mexico and the United States, a mighty city will spring into existence to become the metropolis of all that region." El Paso is destined to fulfill this wise prediction, for she stands not only in the natural gateway between the United States and Mexico, but controls as well, the lowest and best railroad pass across the continental divide. EL PASO TODAY. It is the purpose of this article to show the splendid record made by El Paso during the past ten years, not only through the remarkable development of the Eio Grande Yalley lands, but along industrial, financial and commer cial lines as well. These facts and figures show no trace of the so-called western boom town, but rather of a sturdy, healthy growth, that bespeaks a 'solid foundation and re duces its future prospects to material certainties. El Paso occupies a peculiar place among America's reat cities, for you may travel a distance of 1500 mileb from east to west, or a like distance from north to south, without reaching a city that approaches El Paso either in population or commercial inrportanee. This does not mean a journey through an almost endless stretch of desert, but of well-stocked ranches, rich mining districts, and some of the greatest farming countries in the world. It means an -enormous trade from the people living in this great area who come to El Paso for their supplies and machinery, while the miners ship their ores to El Paso's great smelters. The invasion of this vicinity by experienced ranchmen and farmers and the growth of the small towns situated in lower New Mexico, Arizona and Western Texas during the past five years is considered remarkable. From a population of o'oly 15,000 in 1896, El Paso has grown to a substantial city of nearly fifty thousand, while her property valuation during the same" period has climbed from $4,000,000 to $60,000,000. Her postoffice receipts from $8000 per annum to $108,079.08. BUILDING- RECORD Since the first of January, 1909, there has been ex pended $1,500,000 on new buildings, and this sum does not include many costly residences erected in the outlying dis tricts, some of which are outside of the city limits. As many as fifty-six building permits were issued in a single month, alone, and called for a total investment of $245,416. Among the more notable buildings erected during the present year, or under course of erection at the present time are: v f - The El Paso Chamber of Commerce, $50,000. The Globe Flour Mills, $135,000. The Globe Ice & Cold Storage Co., $115,000. Stevens Building, $20,000. Toltee Club (including furnishings), $125,000. 1 A new addition to the El Paso Foundry & Machine Plant, $10,000. Caples Building, $90,000. Groesbeck Building, $12,500. . f Dr. Turner's residence, $25,000. TV. W. Turney's residence, $45,000. - The Eio Grande Yalley Bank & Trust Building, , $75,000. Marion Apartments, $32,000. . Ainsa Apartments, $28,000. . Hoffecker Warehouse, $12,000. Kohlberg residence, $20,000. ' An addition to El Paso Electric Railway Plantf $14, 500. Herald Building. $60,000. & "White Building, $20,000. . American jSTational Bank Building, $150,000. Mills Building, $200,000. Banner-Roberts Building, $80,000. Schutz Building, $35,000. Krakauer, Zork & Moye Building, $75,000. The records also show a score of splendid homes, some of which are quite elaborate, and range in cost from $3000 to $35,000 each; this is the type of solid growth, which places El Paso amongst the most progressive cities in the country. In addition to the several six and seven story build ings, and a large number of smaller business blocks now under course of construction, plans are being,prepared for the erectJLon of several seven and eight story buildings, and the remodeling and enlargement of many of the better old er buildings occupying prominent sites in the business sections of the city. It is expected the building operations of the year 1910 will exceed all previous records,' and will aggregate more than $2,000,000. Three hundred thousand dollars is being paid out this year in improving and paving the residence streets alone, and $100,000 in enlarging and improving her sewer sys tem. First class street paving was an unknown luxurv ten years ago. STow the city has 20 miles of the best, also 36 miles of cement sidewalk. Thirty-five miles of street car track solve the rapid transit problem, and additional lines are constantly being added to the system., 'The tax values of the city are based on 60 percent of the cash value of the property. BANKING- FACILITIES. El Paso is the financial clearing house for a territory of more than a thousand miles square. Especial atten tion, however, should be given to El Paso's "panic rec ord." During the general 'money tie-up" of 1907-1908, El Paso probably felt the financial stringency less than any city of its size and commercial importance in the United States. The best possible proof of this statement lies m the El Paso Clearing House reports f oi! that period, which are as follows: December, 1907 $2,717,533.36 Average daily 87,662.37 - January, 1908 2,769,817.08 Average daily 89,348.91 February, 1908 2,871,991.65 Average daily , 102,571.13 March, 1908 3,682,112.78 Average daily 125,229.44 - April, 1908 ' 3,825,697.99 ; I Average daily 126,523.26 May, 1908 3,222,543.45 Average daily 103.953.01 r Grand daily' average for the six months' period from December, 1907, to June, 190S, $105,881.36. Grand total clearings for the same six months' period, $19,089,696.31. Grand monthly average, $3,181,616.05. To grasp the true importance of these figures, do not overlook the dates, as the period selected embraces the time when the whole country was in the grasp of an almost Overwhelming pall of business depression. There are five JSfational banks and two trust com panies in El Paso, with aggregate resources of $11,935, 548.97 ,and nearly $8,000,000 on deposit. Total clearance for the year 1909 amounts to $49,379. 488.78 ,a daily average of $164,865.49. RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS. Thirty-six churches of all creeds and denominations, representing a total cost of over $500,000, make El Paso the most prominent religious center in the entire southern border-land. Complete freedom and a hearty co-operation where the spiritual good of the city is at stake has made the church element the predominating factor for all that is progressive and decent in this community. El Paso is a typical eitv of homes, for, while she has many costly and not a few palatial mansions, the usual brick cottage set in its own little frame of lawn and hedge makes it what it should be, a modern American city of home lovers and home owners. Every fraternal order of standing has a branch and in most instances has erected a temple in the city of El Paso. The Masons occupy a substantial structure in the heart of the business district. The Elks' Club House is one of the finest in the South. Other fraternal organizations also occupy splendid quarters, so that over $500,000 has . been invested in permanent Fraternal structures in this city. There are numerous social clubs; the Country Club, with its ideal location, being situated just outside the boundaries of the United States Military Eeservation, where excellent golf links and tennis courts may be en joyed, represents a total investment of $75,000. The Tol tee Club will shortly take possession of its new $125,000 home. The Progress Club, occupies magnificent quarters in one of the down-town bank buildings, facing the Pio neer Plaza' .The Y: M. C. A. has been remarkably suc cessful in, its work in JE1 Paso, and their entire home now represents an investment of $130,000. There is also the Y. W. C. A., which has been recently organized, who have commodious and comfortable quarters in the business center, consisting of lunch and rest rooms, where young women employed in business houses and offices of the city can find congenial companions and seclusion from the general public. The organization is meeting with eminent success, and plans for their boarding home have been ac cepted. The building will cost about $20,000. There are two large theaters and six small ones in El Paso, repre senting a total investment of $200,000. The city also owns a pleasure park of 30 acres, located in the eastern district of the city; here the El Paso Fair Association holds its annual exposition eveiy fall, at which time the annual re ception to Chief Os-Aple by the citizens of El Paso is held. An amusement company furnishes outdoor fun during the summer months, and excellent facilities are furnished the 'professional baseball teams, as well as the local driv ing clubs, all of whom make their permanent headquarters at this point. There are six smaller parks, all ot which are kept in the highest possible state of cultivation, and floral beauty. El Paso has reason to be proud of her park sys tem, which compares favorably with the larger Eastern centers. tfext Saturday El Paso's exports, imports, manufac turing interests, mining interests, etc., will be shown in this paper. Any of the Following Will Tell You All About El Paso, Texas AUSTIN & MARR, Caples Bldg., El Paso, Texas. WM. MQELLER, Herald, Bldg., El Paso, Texas. A. P. COLES & BEOS., American Nat'L Bank Bldg., El Paso, Texas. HATTON REALTY CO., 224 Mesa Ave., El Paso, Texas. NEWMAN INVESTMENT CO., 226 Mesa Ave., El Paso, Texas. FELIX MARTINEZ, 14 Plaza Block, El Paso, Texas. LONE STAR LAND CO., 213 Texas St., El Paso, Texas. . MATHEWS & DYER, 117 N. Stanton St., El Paso, Texas. PENCE BROS., 217 Texas St., El Paso, Texas. ANDERSON-BENNETT REALTY CO., 27-28 Bassett- Edwards Block, El Paso, Texas. D. G. HEINEMAN, 207 St. Louis St., El Paso, Texas. ' J. R. BOND, Plaza Block, El Paso, Texas. H. L. HOWELL, Herald Building, El Paso, Texas. MAPLE & CO., 209 Mesa Ave., El Paso, Texas. LATTA & HAPPER, Mills Bldg., El Paso, Texas. J. R. FISK, Trust Bldg., El Paso, Texas. CASSIDY & DAVIDSON, Buckler Bldg., El Paso, Texas. BUCHOZ & SCHUSTER, Caples Bldg., El Paso, Texas. LEE H. ORNDORFF, 209 St. Louis St., El Paso, Texas. JOSEPHUS BOGGS, 15 Morgan Bldg., El Paso, Texas. R. C. BAILEY, 306 Mesa Ave., El Paso, Texas LOOMES BROS., 202 Texas St., El Paso, Texas PETERMAN & LANSDEN REALTY CO., Ysleta, Texas . i